Vietnam’s Ministry of National Defense has conducted reshuffles to reinforce the armed forces amid requirements for better performance.

The army has dissolved 14 brigades from seven corporations and privatized 71 enterprises over the past years, Lieutenant General Do Can said at a meeting on January 2.

Six vocational schools, 22 colleges, and two project management boards have been dissolved recently.

Four magazines have been merged into only one magazine for the whole force. Meanwhile, the Border Guard Command has trimmed nearly 3,000 personnel.

In the same move, the army has transferred a number of vocational schools to the Ministry of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs, according to Senior-lieutenant General Nguyen Trong Nghia. From 2020 onwards, the army universities will no longer train civilians.

Ceremonial soldiers. Photo: Vnexpress

Defense mission highlighted

Lieutenant General Do Can affirmed that parts of the army will no longer focus on economic tasks but defense missions in the coming time.

For enterprises working under the management of the Ministry of Defense, there would be a plan for privatization from now through 2020, according to Senior-lieutenant General Nguyen Trong Nghia.

Cutting budget focused

According to Lieutenant General Do Can, the forces will grant financial autonomy to 25 army hospitals, including 108 Central Military Hospital in Hanoi, to reduce the burden on the state budget, he said.

The reshuffle in the army has received public support and showed the party and state’s resolve to strengthen the whole force.

Earlier, the police forces have conducted reshuffles by trimming a number of units at ministerial and local levels.